City Council Puts Curb On Number Of Ad Benches On Streets

A compromise law to regulate the number and placement of advertising benches on city streets was unanimously passed Wednesday by the Chicago City Council.

The ordinance bans benches in single-family neighborhoods, and allows only one to be placed at each bus stop in commercial and densely populated neighborhoods that include apartment buildings.

But aldermen will be able to establish bench-free zones in their wards, a designation to be administered by the Department of Public Works.

The ordinance, scheduled to take effect 90 days after the next council meeting scheduled for Jan. 11, would require that advertising companies bid for contracts to place benches in defined areas.

The proposal that passed 43-0 was less stringent than the total ban in all residential neighborhoods-single-family or apartment-originally proposed by Mayor Richard Daley earlier this year, along with other restrictions.

That version was opposed by advertising companies and some aldermen as too restrictive.

Despite the changes in the final ordinance, Daley hailed the law as part of a larger effort to clean up the city. ``We`re trying to get control of the sidewalks,`` he said. ``In some areas there are 12 benches on a corner.``

Those benches, which various estimates put at between 12,000 and 24,000, advertise everything from political candidates to spiritual mediums throughout the city.

Not everyone was happy. Aldermen Burton Natarus (42nd) and Lawrence Bloom (5th), said the changes discriminate against densely populated neighborhoods and were concerned the bench-free zone concept will be overturned by the courts.

The original proposal would have banned benches on sidewalks narrower than 6 feet wide, while the passed version bans them on sidewalks narrower than 4 feet. This, said Bloom, leaves more sidewalks available for ad bench companies.

``They (benches) should be banned throghout the city,`` he said. ``Why should neighborhoods like mine be subject to having ad benches in them? What`s good for the goose should be good for the gander.``

Albert Pontrelli, president of Wright Advertising Corp., 1347 S. Laramie Ave., said the ordinance would drive him out of business. He said he would file suit aginst the city to test the ordinance.

``Everything is left up to the discretion of aldermen,`` he complained.

``And it gives too much power to the Public Works Department. We`ve been in business here for 40 years, we have 2,500 sign benches up in the city. Now they give us 90 days to pack up and leave.``

In other council business, Ald. Marlene Carter (15th) was angered when her request to hold hearings on a resolution protesting alleged police brutality was scheduled for Christmas Eve.

The date will likely lessen public attention on the hearing as well as on Carter, who faces a tough re-election fight. ``It`s not Halloween,`` she said, ``but I think they`re playing tricks on me.``

The council also delayed, until its Jan. 11 meeting, consideration of a ban on cigarette vending machines in public places and increasing the legal smoking age to 19.